From May 6–9, 2025, leading scientists, researchers, and policymakers from around the world convened at the Aqua Safari Resort in Big Ada, Ghana, for the inaugural annual meeting of the Vaccines to Control Respiratory Pathogens and AMR across Africa (VacAMR) research group. Funded by the UK’s National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), VacAMR is a global health initiative focused on tackling antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and respiratory pathogens through vaccine-driven, multimodal interventions. The meeting, hosted by Ghana’s Navrongo Health Research Centre, served as a critical platform to advance scientific collaboration and shape future policy around vaccine-based strategies.
The gathering opened with remarks from Associate Professor Brenda Kwambana-Adams, co-director of VacAMR and lead at the Malawi-Liverpool-Wellcome (MLW) Research Programme, who emphasized the importance of early career researchers in driving forward the group’s mission. Around 18 emerging researchers from across Africa presented their work on various aspects of vaccines and AMR. One of them, Chikondi Sifiso Nkwanju, highlighted the need for stronger links between science and policy, stating that without this connection, scientific advances risk being underutilized.
Key sessions explored core research themes: multimodal interventions, diagnostics and sequencing, and vaccine immunity. Nigerian public health consultant Ehi Igumbor stressed the importance of combining vaccine and non-vaccine approaches, while MLW’s Dr. Deborah Nyirenda emphasized the role of community engagement in boosting vaccine uptake, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. The event also spotlighted the importance of mentorship and leadership development for African researchers, with a dedicated session led by Professors Robert Heyderman and Tivani Mashamba-Thompson.
The meeting concluded with a powerful keynote address by Dr. Jide Idris, Director General of Nigeria’s Centre for Disease Control and Prevention. He praised the initiative’s collaborative spirit and called for stronger integration between science and policymaking. Dr. Idris extended an invitation to VacAMR to play a key role in organizing the 5th Global High-Level Ministerial Meeting on AMR, to be held in Nigeria in 2026—cementing VacAMR’s place as a critical player in the global health and AMR landscape.
